As this game in RodneyParade headed for the hour mark you might have given Munster little chance of salvaging anything as they trailed 22-5.

However in the elapsed time, they had shown enough to suggest that if they could just cut out the errors then respectability if not salvation could be at hand.

And so it proved.

It started when debutant Ronan O'Mahony – who had shown good pace all evening – skipped in on the left and continued with a try from replacement CJ Stander six minutes later. That score heralded a goal line brawl, the result of which was a harsh yellow card for Damien Varley and a penalty restart to the Dragons after Ian Keatley had kicked the conversion.

Reduced to 14 for the second time in the game, Munster might have been expected to wilt but they didn't. They broke up a Dragons attack on half way and Johne Murphy raced in under the posts, Keatley's conversion edging them two points in front.

From the restart Murphy cleared long downfield but into the arms of the player you didn't want to have it, Toby Faletau. The Welsh international carried strong back into the Munster 22 and two phases later Ross Wardle was dotting down in the Bisley corner.

Tom Prydie landed a further penalty to earn his side some extra breathing space and it ended with Munster once again pressing for a score.

Prydie had kicked his side into a three point lead at the start before Paddy Butler got himself onto the end of a perfectly weighted Ian Keatley cross field kick to score in almost the exact spot that Wardle would score the winner.

But far too often Munster squandered good approach work with errors that allowed Dragons relieve the pressure. Nor did it help that Prydie was on song, his three first half penalties and conversion of Steffan Jones' try leaving Munster with a mountain to climb in the second half.

To their credit they went about that ascent impressively but had to settle in the end for two bonus points.

Dragons: T Prydie, M Pewtner (A Tuilagi 64), R Wardle, L Robling, T Chavhanga, S Jones (W Evans 64), J Evans, A Coundley (O Evans 59), H Gustafson (S Parry 6-17, 64), N Buck (T Ryan 78), A Coombs (captain), R Sidoli (A Jones 74), D Lydiate, N Cudd, T Faletau.

Munster: D Hurley; R O'Mahony, I Dineen, JJ Hanrahan (D Barnes 51), J Murphy; I Keatley, C Sheridan (D Williams 51); W du Preez (M Horan 69), D Varley (S Henry 75), S Archer (J Ryan 37-40, 59); D Foley, B Holland (I Nagle 61); Dave O'Callaghan, N Ronan, P Butler (CJ Stander 61).

Referee: Claudio Blessano (Italy)